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968430

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Inflatables: Safety
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what steps she is taking to improve the safety standard of inflatables at funfairs.
tabling member constituency	Romford
tabling member printed	Andrew Rosindell
uin	170953
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>The Health and Safety at Work Act applies to the supply, hire and use of inflatables for commercial purposes. The Act is enforced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) or by Local Authorities, depending upon where the inflatable is being used.</p><p> </p><p>This legislation is supported by guidance published by HSE (<a href="http://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/fairgrounds/inflatables.htm" target="_blank">http://www.hse.gov.uk/entertainment/fairgrounds/inflatables.htm</a>) which sets out the steps that should be taken by operators to control the risks of operating and using this equipment; and by an annual inspection scheme for inflatables run by the industry’s two inspection bodies, the Pertexa Inflatable Play Accreditation (PIPA) and the Amusement Device Inspection Procedures Scheme (ADIPS).</p><p> </p><p>Following two recent and tragic incidents in which children died, HSE is reviewing these arrangements to ensure that the high standard of safety for children using bouncy castles and similar play equipment is maintained. This work will encompass small businesses operating inflatables and inflatables used at funfairs.</p> answering member constituency Truro and Falmouth answering member printed Sarah Newton grouped question UIN 170724 question first answered 13/09/2018 14:05:28 answering member 4071 label Biography information for Sarah Newton
tabling member	1447 label Biography information for Andrew Rosindell

969032

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Academies
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, pursuant to the Answer of 4 September 2018 to Question 168014 on Academies, whether academy schools that are in deficiency can be considered for education authority oversight.
tabling member constituency	Crawley
tabling member printed	Henry Smith
uin	171337
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>Financial accountability for academies is founded on a clear framework which is regulated by the Education and Skills Funding Agency (ESFA).</p><p>The ESFA has a robust intervention strategy to ensure, where financial concerns are identified, that appropriate and proportionate action is taken swiftly. The ESFA will intervene in a way that is proportionate to the risk and preserves the effective education of children.</p><p>The department is satisfied that these arrangements provide robust financial oversight for academy trusts and we have no plans to change them.</p> answering member constituency Stratford-on-Avon answering member printed Nadhim Zahawi question first answered 14/09/2018 11:38:15 answering member 4113 label Biography information for Nadhim Zahawi
tabling member	3960 label Biography information for Henry Smith

969039

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Education
answering dept id	60
answering dept short name	Education
answering dept sort name	Education
hansard heading	Schools: Admissions
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what estimate his Department has made of the number of school places in the London Borough of Barnet.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	171363
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The Department collects information from each local authority on the number of school places as part of the annual school capacity survey. Data relating to the position in the 2017/18 academic year will be published in the new year.</p><p>Data for May 2017 (relating to academic year 2016/17) can be found at:</p><p><a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-capacity-academic-year-2016-to-2017" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/school-capacity-academic-year-2016-to-2017</a>.</p><p>The data shows that on 1 May 2017 there were 31,518 primary school places and 29,759 secondary school places in Barnet.</p><p> </p> answering member constituency Bognor Regis and Littlehampton answering member printed Nick Gibb question first answered 14/09/2018 11:36:34 answering member 111 label Biography information for Nick Gibb
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

969046

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Motorways: Speed Limits
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the potential merits of increasing the speed limit to 80 miles per hour on the motorway network.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	171370
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The Department has no plans to change the speed limit.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman question first answered 14/09/2018 10:22:00 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

969048

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Cash Dispensing: Fees and Charges
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment his Department has made of the level of coverage of free to use automated transaction machines throughout the UK.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	171372
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>The Government recognises that widespread free access to cash remains extremely important to the day-to-day lives of many consumers and businesses in the UK. Government has been engaging and will continue to engage with the regulators and industry, including LINK, to ensure that it is maintained.</p><p>The Government established the Payment Systems Regulator (PSR) in 2015 with a statutory objective to ensure that the UK’s payment systems work in the interests of their users. As part of this, the PSR is monitoring developments within ATM provision.</p><p>The PSR has undertaken work to understand the impact on the provision of free-to-use ATMs that a reduction in interchange fees may have and a summary of the findings can be found on their website. The Government has therefore not conducted its own assessment on the level of coverage of free-to-use ATMs across the UK.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR have also set out three requirements of LINK: that LINK must maintain the current geographical spread of ATMs; that any changes made to interchange fees must be incremental to allow LINK to monitor the impact and take action if the impact is not as expected; and for a greater focus on LINK’s financial inclusion programme, to continue to fill gaps in the network.</p><p>Indeed, to ensure the provision of ATMs in rural, isolated or vulnerable areas, LINK announced it will enhance its financial inclusion plan to include in the programme all ATMs that are a kilometre or further from the next other free-to-use ATM.</p><p>Additionally, LINK has recently decided to cancel its third interchange fee reduction, due in January 2020, and put on hold its fourth reduction, due in January 2021, pending a further review next year. The PSR has welcomed these adjustments to future interchange rates, having stated that LINK must carefully review its decisions on interchange fees to reflect changing market conditions.</p><p> </p><p>The PSR has committed to using its powers to act should LINK behave in a way that conflicts with its statutory objectives.</p> answering member constituency Salisbury answering member printed John Glen question first answered 13/09/2018 13:46:57 answering member 4051 label Biography information for John Glen
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

969049

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Pay
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, if he will take steps to replace the living wage and national minimum wage with one minimum wage.
tabling member constituency	Hendon
tabling member printed	Dr Matthew Offord
uin	171373
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>Through the National Minimum Wage (NMW) and the National Living Wage (NMW) the Government protects the lowest paid within our society.</p><p>The Government sets differentiated and age-related minimum wage rates to protect younger workers who are more vulnerable to being unemployed than older workers.</p><p>These are set based on the independent and expert advice of the Low Pay Commission.</p><p>Since the NLW was introduced in April 2016, a full-time worker on the NLW will earn over £2,000 more than someone working the same hours on the 2015 NMW. In April this year, those aged 18-20 and 21-24 experienced the greatest rise in the NMW in a decade.</p> answering member constituency Rochester and Strood answering member printed Kelly Tolhurst question first answered 13/09/2018 15:27:06 answering member 4487 label Biography information for Kelly Tolhurst
tabling member	4006 label Biography information for Dr Matthew Offord

969084

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept id	201
answering dept short name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
answering dept sort name	Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy
hansard heading	Spaceflight: Finance
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, how his Department plans to allocate the two million pounds for assessing options for horizontal spaceports in the UK.
tabling member constituency	Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
tabling member printed	Bill Grant
uin	171395
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>As part of Farnborough International Airshow on 15th August 2018, the UK Space Agency announced £2m of funding in support of horizontal spaceflight and spaceports, to further accelerate this early-stage market. The UK Space Agency is working closely with colleagues from several government departments, including the Scotland Office, to finalise the details of this scheme.</p><p> </p><p>We must, of course, ensure that any use of public funds provides value for money and will benefit the UK. We plan to make further announcements, subject to business case, later in 2018.</p> answering member constituency East Surrey answering member printed Mr Sam Gyimah question first answered 14/09/2018 13:55:51 answering member 3980 label Biography information for Mr Sam Gyimah
tabling member	4605 label Biography information for Bill Grant

969093

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Transport
answering dept id	27
answering dept short name	Transport
answering dept sort name	Transport
hansard heading	Air Routes: Scotland
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, when he plans to meet representatives of Heathrow Airport to discuss the provision of additional flights to Scotland.
tabling member constituency	Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock
tabling member printed	Bill Grant
uin	171397
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 13/09/2018 answer text <p>Expansion at Heathrow is expected to deliver 100 additional flights to and from Scotland per week. Heathrow Airport Limited (HAL) believes that if it receives development consent by 2022, it will start construction soon after and that the new runway can be operational and in passenger use by 2026.</p><p> </p><p>While the exact timing for the introduction of new flights will be for HAL and it partners determine, the Airports National Policy Statement requires HAL to work constructively with its airline customers to strengthen existing routes and develop new connections.</p><p> </p><p>Ministers and officials regularly meet with HAL to discuss various issues, including domestic connectivity. Furthermore, the Department and HAL agreed in their <a href="https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/719198/sos-hal-relationship-framework.pdf" target="_blank">Relationship Framework Document</a> to establish a Domestic Connectivity Forum later this year to discuss the provision of these additional routes to Scotland, alongside the other commitments made on domestic connectivity.</p> answering member constituency Hereford and South Herefordshire answering member printed Jesse Norman grouped question UIN 171399 question first answered 13/09/2018 10:07:16 answering member 3991 label Biography information for Jesse Norman
tabling member	4605 label Biography information for Bill Grant

969110

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Treasury
answering dept id	14
answering dept short name	Treasury
answering dept sort name	Treasury
hansard heading	Sanitary Products: VAT
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, how much money has been raised for the public purse from VAT on sanitary products in each of the last three years; and how much funding has been distributed to charities through the Tampon Tax Fund by region.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	171352
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>Sanitary products are subject to the 5% reduced rate of VAT, the lowest rate permitted under current EU VAT rules. Until the UK leaves the EU, we remain a full member with all of the rights and obligations that membership entails. Finance Act 2016 included legislation to introduce a zero rate of VAT for sanitary products at the earliest opportunity.</p><p> </p><p>HMRC estimates that VAT receipts from the sale of sanitary products are approximately £15m in each of the last three years. In 2015, the Government announced a new fund awarding an equivalent £15 million a year to projects that improve the lives of vulnerable and disadvantaged women and girls. Since 2016, over eighty charities have been allocated grants totalling £47 million from this Tampon Tax Fund.</p><p> </p><p>The Tampon Tax Fund is UK-wide and many of the projects operate across the UK. We do not have a breakdown of the allocation by region. Earlier this year, the Department for Digital, Culture, Media &amp; Sport announced the ten projects from across the UK receiving the latest round of funding. Details of these awards are available on the gov.uk website at: <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/news/women-and-girls-set-to-benefit-from-15-million-tampon-tax-fund" target="_blank">https://www.gov.uk/government/news/women-and-girls-set-to-benefit-from-15-million-tampon-tax-fund</a>.</p> answering member constituency Central Devon answering member printed Mel Stride question first answered 14/09/2018 11:27:41 answering member 3935 label Biography information for Mel Stride
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris

969116

registered interest
date	06/09/2018
answering body	Department for Work and Pensions
answering dept id	29
answering dept short name	Work and Pensions
answering dept sort name	Work and Pensions
hansard heading	Universal Credit
house id	1
legislature	25259 pref label House of Commons
question text	To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, if he will lower the 40 per cent debt recovery level for people in receipt of universal credit that have children.
tabling member constituency	Easington
tabling member printed	Grahame Morris
uin	171355
answer	answer is ministerial correction date of answer 14/09/2018 answer text <p>The Department recognises the importance of safeguarding the welfare of claimants who have incurred debt. However, there are no current plans to lower the maximum deduction rate.</p><p> </p><p>The Department always considers individual circumstances when applying debt repayment thresholds and seeks to recover debt without creating undue hardship. If a claimant is in financial difficulty as a result of the level of deductions, where it relates to benefit debt, a Social Fund loan or rent arrears, they can request that a reduction be considered. If a claimant is having difficulty repaying a benefit overpayment, they can request a reconsideration of the amount that is being taken where it can be shown that it would have an impact on any dependent children. Any reduction will be based on the individual circumstances of the claimant rather than the amount of the overpayment, which helps to ensure that a sustainable repayment plan based on affordability is put in place.</p> answering member constituency Reading West answering member printed Alok Sharma question first answered 14/09/2018 11:55:47 answering member 4014 label Biography information for Sir Alok Sharma
tabling member	3973 label Biography information for Grahame Morris